An adult-use cannabis bill was announced February 24, 2021 by State Senators Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia) and Dan Laughlin (R-Erie). The bill would legalize possession of up to 30 grams for those 21 and over, while limiting at-home cultivation to medicinal use. Noting New Jersey’s recent legalization, and New York’s intention to legalize adult-use cannabis this
Cannabis
New Jersey Legalizes Adult-Use Cannabis After Passage of Cannabis Clean-Up Bill
Today, New Jersey’s legislature passed Senate Bill No. 3454, also known as the “clean-up bill.” The clean-up bill sets the penalties for underage possession of cannabis and changes the penalties for underage possession of alcohol to match. There will be no fines or criminal penalties for the possession of cannabis by minors. People under the…
Connecticut Governor Includes Legalization of Adult-Use Cannabis in Budget For 2022-2023 Fiscal Year
Governor Ned Lamont introduced his new proposal for legalization of adult-use cannabis with the unveiling of his 2022-2023 budget. This coincided with the release of Gov. Lamont’s proposed bill, titled An Act Responsibly and Equitably Regulating Adult-Use Cannabis. The proposal includes legalization of possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis effective January 1, 2022,…
Virginia Likely to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis
Last week, Virginia’s Senate and House of Delegates have both passed legislation legalizing adult-use cannabis (S.B. 1406 and H.B. 2312, respectively), and Governor Ralph Northam has indicated he will sign the final legislation into law. Common elements in both bills include:
- Legalize possession of up to one ounce for individuals 21 and older
- Households may
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Senate Democrats to Introduce Federal Cannabis Reform Legislation
On February 1, 2021, Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced their intention to introduce cannabis reform legislation this year. In a joint announcement, the Senators pledged to end the federal prohibition on cannabis, as well as “ensure restorative justice, protect public health and implement responsible taxes and regulations.”
While…
New Jersey Enacts Employment Protections For Medical Cannabis Users
On July 2, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed the Jake Honig Compassionate Use Medical Cannabis Act (the “Act”), which amends the formerly known Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act (“CUMMA”) and expands New Jersey’s medical cannabis program. Employers should pay particular attention to this new development because the Act includes a non-discrimination provision to protect…
Reminder to NYC Restaurant and Hospitality Operators: July 1st CBD Compliance Deadline
This is a reminder to all restaurant and hospitality operators that, commencing on July 1, 2019, the New York City Department of Health will officially ban food and drink products containing Cannabidiol (“CBD”). All products containing CBD must be returned to the supplier or discarded prior to the July 1st enforcement deadline. Failure to…
Full Scale Cannabis Legalization Fails in New York, but Legislature Approves Significant Decriminalization Measures
Although efforts to legalize cannabis for adult recreational use failed to win majority support prior to the end of the legislative session, both the New York State Assembly and New York State Senate have approved a significant decriminalization bill. The bill, which Governor Andrew Cuomo has said he will sign, generally (1) reduces penalties for…
New York State Assembly Majority Leader Announces Intention to Introduce Cannabis Legalization Bill Providing for Expungement of Low-Level Cannabis-Related Criminal Records
New York State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes announced on Tuesday that she is planning to introduce a bill later this week that would not only legalize adult cannabis use, but would also provide the ability for those previously convicted of low-level cannabis-related offenses to have their criminal records expunged. Majority Leader Peoples-Stokes’ proposal goes…
Cannabis in the New York Workplace and the NYC Ban on Pre-Employment Drug Testing for Cannabis
Since the passage of the New York Compassionate Care Act (“CCA”) in July 2014 and the subsequent launch of the medical cannabis program in January 2016, New York employers have begun facing new legal challenges arising from the decriminalization of medical cannabis. Specifically, employers need to understand their obligations (if any) to reasonably accommodate medical…